Knock-down display support



April Z6, 1960 .1. H. MoGuLEscu ETAL 2,934,215

KNOCK-DOWN DISPLAY SUPPORT Filed June 16, 1958 THF- 5 2 Sheets-Shea?l 1 3 INVENTOR JA v/,v 1. oo/vs Jvc/f M agua-'sda ATTORNEY April 26, 1960 J. H. MoGULEscu Erm. 2,934,215

KNOCK-DOWN DISPLAY SUPPORT Filed June 1e, 195e 2 sheets-sheet 2 NVENTORS I? YM/ l.. Koo/vs ATTORNEY Unit States Patent O lKNOCK-DOWN DISPLAY SUPPORT Jack H. Mogulescn and Ervin L. Koons, New York, N.Y., assignors to Consolidated Cigar Corporation, New York, NX., a corporation of New York Application .lune 16, 1958, Serial No. 742,334

6 Claims. (Cl. 211-126) The present invention relates generally to improvements in receptacles and display devices, and in particular it relates to an improved collapsible tray unit which may be assembled with one or more similarly constructed units into any desired vertically stacked, and end-to-end linear or angulated relationship, thereby to provide a display device which may be readily modified for any particular display purpose or easily disassembled for storage or transportation purposes.

There have been proposed and employed many types of fixed or collapsible trays which may be separably stacked one upon the other affording access to the individual trays. However, these receptacles and trays are of very limited application and possess numerous drawbacks and disadvantages. The collapsible receptacles are generally constructed to form a single container of a specific configuration, whereas the stackable trays of fixed construction may be stacked in only one manner. lt is thus apparent that collapsible receptacles and stackable trays heretofore available are of very limited versatility and flexibility. Moreover, they are usually complex and expensive and leave much to be desired.

It is thus a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved receptacle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved display device.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved tray unit which may be simply and easily assembled withone or more similarly constructed units to form a display device of any desired arrangement. l

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved tray unit of simple and rugged construction which may be arranged in vertically stacked assembly and in end-to-end linear or angular assembled relationship, permitting the fabrication of display devices of various configurations which may be readily disassembled to facilitate the transportation and storage thereof.

The present application is a continuation-impart of copending application of I ack H. Mogulescu and Irvin L. Koons, filed September 26, 1957, Serial No. 686,372. In that application, there is also described a collapsible tray unit which may be assembled in various stacked and coupled arrangements.

The above and other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon the reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is an exploded perspective view, partially broken away, of a tray unit embodying the present invention, some of the duplicated parts being omitted for convenience of illustration;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view, partially in section, of a multi-tier display rack employing the tray unit of the present invention;

Figure '5 is a top plan view thereof;

Figure 4 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken along line 4 4 in Figure 3, partially broken away;

Figure 5 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken along line 5 5 in Figure 3, partially broken away;

Figure 6 is a front enlarged detailed view of a pair of assembled tray units, partially broken away;

Figure 7 is a front elevational view, partially broken away, of the rear wall of the tray unit, adjacent units being shown in broken line; and

Figure 8 is a front elevational view of the front wall of the tray unit, walls of the adjacent units being shown in broken line.

In a sense, the present invention contemplates the provision of an improved tray unit which may be assembled, as desired,in various vertically stacked, linear and angular or side-by-side relationship, the unit comprising a for,- wardly upwardly inclined base plate, a rear Wall projecting upwardly from said base plate and having opposite parallel end edges and vertically spaced interlock elements disposed along'said end edges, said interlock elements being relatively staggered along said opposite edges, the interlock edges preferably being in the form of tubular knuckles.

A further feature of the improved tray unit is the provision of inwardly directed flanges on the knuckles which surround openings aligned with the respective knuckles, and coupling rods registering with the knuckles and having threaded shank portions of reduced cross section projecting through said openings and surrounded by a Shoulder abutting the face of said flange, and including threaded members engaging said threaded shank portions and abutting the opposite face of the respective flanges.

In accordance with a preferred form of the present invention, the tray includes an upwardly forwardly inclined base member having a vertical forward wall extending above and below the base member. The forward wail has an upper tubular knuckle along one end thereof and a lower tubular knuckle along the other end thereof, the height of the tubular knuckle being substantially onehalf the height of the front wall. A rear Wall is provided and along its lower edge it is formed with laterally spaced depending rearwardly directed hook-shaped members which engage corresponding openings formed along the rear edge of the base to provide a hinged connection between the rear wall and the base. Triangular` end plates are carried by the rear wall and have trailing edges which are vertical when the rear Wallis perpendicular to the base plate. Vertically spaced knuckles are disposed along the rear edges of the end walls, which knuckles are staggered relative to the knuckles on the end plates.

Side walls extend transversely of the base member and carry along their forward and rear edges tubular knuckles which are in axial alignment with the knuckles carried by the front and rear walls. The lowermost of each set of aligned knuckles is provided along its lower edge with an inwardly directed flange which surrounds an opening of reduced cross section axially aligned with the tubular knuckles. Coupling rods register with each of the aligned knuckles and are provided with threaded shanks of reduced cross section which extend through the openings and which are engaged by threaded members so as to effect a locking of the assembled tray. The front and rear walls have transversely aligned laterally spaced notches formed therein which are in the same vertical plane with rectangular apertures formed along the foi"- ward and rear borders of the base plate. Partition members are provided having lengthwise extending forward and rear hook elements along their upper corners which hooks are adapted to register with aligned recesses in the rear Iand front walls and are Ialso provided with depending lugs which are adapted to engage corresponding apertures formed in the base plate.

With the above elements it is possible to construct 3 multi-tier trays disposed in various side-byside or cornerto-corner arrangements as will be hereinafter set forth.

Referring now to the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention, 4the tray unit includes a normal forwardly and upwardly inclined base portion generally designated by the numeral 10, the base portion being of substantially rectangular configuration having a rear wall 11 along the trailing edge of the base and a forward wall 12 along the front edge thereof. Base 10 has a plurality of transversely extending oval shaped openings 13 formed therein, the edges of opening 13 being provided with depending lips or anges 14 (see Figure l) to reinforce and impart rigidity to base 10, said openings 13 being short of the forward and rear edges of the base plate. Formed in base 10 also are a plurality of regularly laterally-spaced rectangular openings 16, forward and parallel to the rear edge of the base 10, 4together with a plurality of regularly spaced rectangular notches or openings 17in transverse alignment with openings 16 and extending to the front edge of base 10. Rearwardly of openings 16 and immediately forwardly of the rear edge of base 10 there are formed a plurality of laterally-spaced laterally extending rectangular openings 18, the rear borders 19 of which are of substantially circular cross section and dene hinge pintles, as seen in Figure 5.

Forward wall 12 is of substantially rectangular configuration and, as illustrated in Figure 2, lies in a vertical plane forming an upper dihedral angle of greater than 90 with base 10. Wall 12 is formed integral with base 410 and is joined thereto along a horizontal line intermediate the upper and lower edges of said front wall.l Located along the upper edge of front wall 12 are a plurality of laterally spaced, rectangular recesses 20 in vertical alignment with the openings 17 formed in base 10.

Located along the opposite end edges of the front wall 12 are upper and lower vertically extending tubular knuckles 21 and 22 respectively. Knuckles 21 and 22 are substantially half the height of front wall 12 and are staggered relative to each other. Thus, the front walls 12 of tray units arranged side-by-side may be interconnected by bringing adjacent knuckles 21 and 22 into vertical alignment. As will be hereinafter set forth in respect to other knuckles, the lowermost knuckle 22 on front wall 12 is provided along its bottom edge with an inwardly directed annular flange, the inner border of which surrounds an opening in vertical alignment with the opening in the knuckle 22 and of smaller diameter.

Rear wall 11 is of substantially rectangular configuration and is provided along its lower edge with laterally spaced forwardly extending rearwardly opening hookshaped members 23 formed integral with wall 11. Members 23 hingedly engage corresponding pintles 19, the cross arms of members 23 freely passing through openings 18 in order to facilitate the hinged assembly of wall 11 and base 10. Forwardly upwardly inclined protuberances or detents 24 are formed on the inner face of free leg 26 of each of hook-shaped members 23, the detent` extending from the free end of leg 26 and terminating at a point forward of the cross arm thereof. Thus, pintles 19 may be slid into registry with the hook members 23 by urging them through the openings thereof, legs 26 being urged downwardly by pintles 19 by reason of the cam surfaces of the detents 24, and snapping back into position after the pintles 19 pass detents 24 to hingedly interlock wall 11 and base 10. Formed along the upper edge of the wall 11 are a plurality of laterally rectangularly spaced notches or recesses 27 in alignment with corresponding openings 16 and 17. It should be noted that in assembled condition, wall 11 is swung to an upwardly rearwardly inclined position forming a right dihedral angle with base 10.

Located along the opposite edges of wall 11 are a pair of rearwardly directed end walls 28 of triangular configuration having upwardly directed apices and rear Vsponding to the flange 40.

4 vertical edges 29. Disposed along opposite end rear edges 29 are vertically aligned vertically spaced tubular knuckles 32 and 33 respectively. Each of knuckles 32 is slightly less in length than one quarter the height of edge 29, upper knuckle 32 extending to the upper edge of the rear wall 11 and being spaced from the lower knuckle 32 a Idistance slightly greater than knuckle length. Similarly, knuckles 33 are each of a length slightly less than one quarter the length of the edge 29, lower knuckle 33 extending to the bottom of edge 29, the distance between knuckles 33 being slightly greater than the knuckle length. Thus, rear walls 11 of adjacent trays may be connected in end-to-end relationship by bringing the knuckles 32 and 33 of adjacent edges 29 into interdigitating relationship and interlocking the knuckles by means of locking rods as will be hereinafter set forth. It should be noted that the lowermost knuckle 33 is provided at its lower edge with an inwardly directed ilange of a configuration similar to that of the lower-l most knuckle 22 mounted on the front wall 12.

Each tray includes a pair of side walls 34 and 36 respectively provided with a vertical front edge 37 of substantially the same height as front wall 12 and a vertical rear edge 38 of substantially the same height as the end wall edge 29, edges 37 and 38 being connected by an upwardly rearwardly inclined vertical panel having a short forwardly 'directed leg and flaring rearwardly outwardly to the rear edge 38 as best seen in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing. Disposed along the rear edge 38 of wall 34 are a pair of vertically aligned and vertically spaced tubular knuckles 39 of substantially the same dimensions as knuckles 32, the lower knuckle 39 extending to the lower end of the edge 38 and being spaced from the upper knuckle 39 by a distance slightly greater than the length of a knuckle 39. As seen in Figure 4 of the drawing an inwardly directed flange 40 is formed at the bottom of the lowermost knuckle 39 and has a vertical opening 41 formed therein of smaller diameter than the bore of knuckle 39 and having a shoulder 42 along its upper periphery. Located along the lower portion of the front edge 37 of the wall 34 is a tubular knuckle 43 which is of the same dimensions as the front wall knuckle 21 and is provided with a bottom inwardly directed flange corre- Wall 36 is likewise provided with knuckles corresponding to knuckles 39 and 43 but vertically offset relative thereto, the upper knuckle 39 and the knuckle 43 extending respectively to the upper ends of the forward and rear edges of wall 36.

In assembled condition walls 34 and 36 are disposed along the. sides of the trays, with knuckles 39 interdigitating and being in vertical alignment with knuckles 32 of the rear wall, and knuckles 43 being in vertical alignment with the knuckle 21 of the front wall, and the knuckles 39 of side Wall 36 interdigitating and being in vertical alignment with the rear wall knuckles 33, and knuckle 43 being in vertical alignment with the front wall knuckle 22.

The trays may be releasably locked in assembled condition either in vertically stacked arrangement, in side-by side linear or angular arrangement, or in any desired combination by the provision of a plurality of locking rods 46 Yand 47 of various lengths and cylindrical cap nuts 48 which serve as feet or pedestals. Coupling rods 46, 47

are provided at their lower ends with depending axial `threaded shanks 49 surrounded at their bases by annular .shoulders 45 and have formed in their upper ends threaded bores 50, the outer surface of the upper ends being scored or serrated as at 51 to facilitate their manipulation during assembly and disassembly. The diameter of rods 46, 47 is such as to permit a snug t thereof within the bores to allow for free relative sliding movement. Threaded shanks 46 are of a diameter to permit their free passage through the openings 41 surrounded by flanges 40 and of lengths sufficient to accept capnuts 48 or another rod 46, 47 which will effect a tight engagement of the flanges 46 between the confronting shoulders of the cap nuts 48 Or rods 4,6, 47 and the registering rods.

In assembling a single tray unit, rear wall 11 is swung 4to a position perpendicularto the base 10 and the side wa1ls'34 and 36 are coupled to the front and rear Walls 1.1 and 12 by bringing the corresponding rear coupling knuckles into vertically aligned interdigitating registry and the corresponding front knuckles into vertical registry as seen in Figure 2 of the drawing. Rods 46 are inserted through the rear aligned coupling knuckles, the shank 49 passing through the opening 41 and screw caps 48 are applied to the lower exposed portions of shank 49 to eiect a tight engagement of ange 40. Locking rods 47 are then inserted through the vertically aligned front knuckles and similarly locked in position by means of cap nuts 48 engaging the threaded shanks 49.

If it is desired to stack two or more trays in vertically spaced arrangement, a first tray is brought into locked assembly as aforesaid but elongated rods 46 are substituted for the front rods 47. Thereafter, a second tray is assembled and rods 46 inserted through the aligned rear knuckles and the depending threaded shank 47 screwed into the threaded bores 50 of the rear lower rods 46 to engage tightly rear knuckle flanges 40 of the upper tray assembly. The forward knuckles are similarly locked in position by means of rods 47 inserted therethrough and screw engaging the forward lower rods 46. The trays may be connected in linear or angulated sideby-side arrangement as well as in stacked arrangement by joining the front and rear walls by bringing the corresponding coupling knuckles into interdigitating and vertically aligned positions and interlocking the knuckles by means of coupling rods in the manner previously described and as illustrated in Figures 7 aand 8 of the drawing. When the trays are so joined the side walls at the confronting ends of the trays are omitted. Furthermore, the trays may be arranged in angulated arrangement by joining either the front or rear walls thereof, leaving the opposite walls disconnected.

The versatility of the improved tray is further increased by the provision of a plurality of removable partition members 52 each of which includes a forwardly downwardly inclined intermediate portion 53 having a forwardly directed front leg 54 terminating in a vertical leading edge and a depending rear leg 56 having an upwardly rearwardly inclined trailing edge. The legs 54 and 56 have colinear horizontal bottom edges, the bottom edge of the leg 54 being provided at its forward corner with a depending lug S7, and the bottom edge of the leg 56 having a depending lug S8 disposed forward of the trailing edge of the leg 56. The front leg 54 is provided at its upper corner with downwardly opening hook elements including a forwardly spaced vertical leg 59 joined at its upper portion to the upper end of the leg 57 by a cross piece 60 of reduced cross section. Similarly, a downwardly opening coupling hook is located at the upper corner ofthe leg 56 and includes a vertical leg 63 joined at its upper portion to leg 56 by a cross arm 64 of reduced cross section. One or more of the partitions 52 may be applied to the assembled tray by bringing the cross arms 60 and 64 of reduced section into registry with corresponding front and rear wall notches or recesses 20 and 27, and by inserting the depending lugs 57 and 58 into corresponding apertures 17 and i6. The partitions may be removed simply by lifting them from the tray. It should be noted that the height of the leading edge of partition 52 is approximately half the height of the front wall 12 and the height of the trailing edge is approximately equal to the height of the wall 1i.

The various components forming the base and walls of the tray are preferably formed of any suitable synthetic, organic, thermoplastic or thermosetting material by injection molding or the like. The rods 46 and 47 as well as the cap nuts 48 are, on the other hand, preferably formed of any suitable vnatal -Ysueli as aluminum, Steelv cr the like.

While there has been described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is apparent that numerous alterations and Aomissions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

We claim:

1. An improved tray unit comprising a forwardly and upwardly inclined base plate, an inclined rear wall projecting upwardly from said base plate and substantially perpendicular thereto, and vertical coupling knuckles disposed along opposite ends of said rear wall axially angled with respect to the plane of said rear wall, said knuckles being relatively staggered along said opposite ends.

2. An improved tray unit comprising a forwardly and upwardly inclined base plate, an inclined rear wall projecting upwardly from said base plate and substantially perpendicular thereto, parallel end plates located along opposite side edges of said rear Wall, directed rearwardly therefrom and having trailing vertical edges angled axial- 1y with respect to the side edges of the said rear wall, and vertical coupling knuckles located along the trailing edges of said end plates, said knuckles being relatively staggered along said opposite edges.

3. An improved tray unit comprising a base plate, a rear wall projecting upwardly from said base plate, vertical tubular coupling knuckles disposed along opposite ends of said rear wall and being relatively staggered along said opposite ends, the axis of said knuckles being angled with respect to the plane of the rear wall, an inwardly directed shoulder formed on one of said knuckles, and a coupling rod registering with said knuckle, having a shoulder abutting the shoulder of said knuckle, and having a threaded portion extending below the lower end of the knuckle.

4. An improved tray unit comprisinga base plate, a rear wall projecting upwardly from said base plate, vertical tubular coupling knuckles disposedfalong opposite ends of said rear wall axially angled with respect thereto and being relatively staggered along said opposite ends, an inwardly directed flange formed on one of said knuckles and surrounding an opening axially aligned with said knuckle, a coupling rod registering with said knuckle, said rod having a threaded shank portion of reduced cross section projecting through said opening and surrounded by a shoulder abutting a face of said flange, and a threaded member engaging said threaded shank portion projection and abutting the opposite face of said flange.

5. An improved tray unit comprising a base plate, a rear wall projecting upwardly from said base plate and having a rearwardly directed end plate at the opposite ends thereof, vertical tubular coupling knuckles disposed along the rear ends of said rear wall plates and being relatively staggered along said opposite ends, side walls disposed along the opposite end plates, coupling knuckles located along the trailing edges of said side walls and in vertical alignment with said rear Wall plate coupling knuckles, inwardly directed flanges located along the lowermost of said knuckles and surrounding openings of reduced cross section aligned with said knuckles, coupling rods extending above and below the side and rear walls registering with said aligned knuckles and having threaded shanks of reduced cross section projecting through said openings and surrounded by a shoulder which abuts the confronting face of a corresponding flange, and a threaded member engaging the free projecting end of said shank and abutting the opposite faces of said flanges.

6. An improved tray unit in accordance with claim 5, including a substantially vertical front wall disposed along the front edge of said base plate, tubular coupling knuckles disposed along opposite ends of said front wall in parallelism to the knuckles on the rear wall plates and being relatively staggered along said opposite ends, vertical tubular coupling knuckles disposed along the forward edges of said side walls in alignment with said front Walfknuckles, inwardly Vdirected anges formed on Aat least one of said aligned forward knuckles and surrounding an opening of 'reduced cross section, coupling rods registering with said aligned forward knuckles and having a threaded shank surrounded by a shoulder abutting a face of each of said anges, and threaded members en gaging said Shanks and abutting the opposite faces of said flanges.

' References Cited inthe le of'this patent 1,198,524 Cunlie Sept. 19, 1916 8 McLean June 9, 1931 Oppenlander Dec. 20, 1932 Bow Nov. 26, 1940 Roycroft Sept. 30, 1949 Dmling Aug. 30, 1949 Hughes `Tuly 25, 1950 Kautzmann Nov. 20, 1951 Barefoot May 29, 1956 Rosenquist July 29, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Feb. 7, 1951 

